This invention relates to a body support system for example for patients or the like. The support system may be used to move patients, such as sick, elderly or disabled persons, between various supported positions with minimal discomfort.
Moving a sick, elderly or disabled person between various positions, such as lying, sitting and standing, can be very demanding, requiring the co-operation of two or three carers and can be distressing and uncomfortable for the patient. When such movement is effected by means of a specially adapted chair or the like, the distress cause by the movement is reduced and the risk of injury to the carers is effectively eliminated, as is the need for multiple carers to move the patient.
It is necessary to move an immobile patient between a lying position and a sitting position and between a sitting position and a standing position for a number of reasons. For example, for patients who are immobile it is necessary to replace the normal wheelchair seat with a commode seat in order for the patient to be able to use toilet facilities. It is also necessary to be able to rearrange the clothing of a patient for the above and other reasons.
In order to accomplish these tasks it is necessary to be able to raise a patient from a seat, ideally substantially to a standing position.
However, such specially adapted chairs are not altogether satisfactory because the relatively movable parts of the chair tend to move in a manner that causes movement along the length of the patient, that is there is shear movement between the parts of the chair and the patient, not simply pivoting movement. The shear movement can damage a patient""s skin and lead to sores and other ailments developing which, in turn, can be difficult to cure.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a body support system which is capable of moving a patient or the like between various supported positions in a manner in which the patient suffers no shear movement.
According to the present invention there is provided a body support system comprising a seat including a base and a seat member slidably mounted thereon, a back support pivotable relative to the seat, and a connecting member extending between the back support and the seat member so as to urge the seat member to slide relative to the base towards the back support as the back support is pivoted towards an in-line arrangement with the seat.
The body support system may include a lower limb support pivotable relative to the seat and a connecting member extending between the lower limb support and the seat member so as to urge the seat member to slide relative to the base towards the lower limb support as the lower limb support and the back support are pivoted away from an in-line arrangement with the seat. A stabiliser may be provided in the region of a free end of the lower limb support.
Alternatively, biasing means may be provided for the seat member so as to tend to move the seat member away from the back support.
Means may be provided for raising and lowering the seat, for example a telescopic mounting.
The seat may be pivotably mounted on support means for pivoting about a generally horizontal axis. Stop means may be provided for limiting pivoting movement of the seat relative to the support means.
At least one of the connecting members may comprise an elongate inextensible flexible member, such as a strap.
The seat member may be pivotably mounted relative to the base for rotation about a generally horizontal axis.
The seat member may be provided with a removable portion.
The seat may be provided with a cam member which is rotatable in response to pivoting movement of the back support relative to the seat, the cam member operating against a support for the seat so as to control inclination of the seat relative to the seat support as the back support is pivoted.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: